Mixed Up Young Delinquent
by Nikki11
Summary: Reese gets hit on by a guy and starts to question his own sexuality...
1. Chapter 1

At exactly 7.30am the alarm clock went off. As quick as a flash a hand shot out from under the covers of one of the beds, hitting the snooze button and plunging the room back into silence. Gradually the covers on the bed slid back to reveal a face.  
  
Reese opened his eyes and smiled to himself. 'So this is freedom' he thought. He looked around the room, his gaze falling on the beam of light which streamed through the gap in the curtains and illuminated the face of his brother, Malcolm. Malcolm was snoring gently, looking very peaceful as he lay in the double bed he shared with their other brother, Dewey. Neither of them had been woken by the alarm. Malcolm rolled over in his sleep. 'Just call it even' he mumbled to himself, obviously deep in some dream of his.  
  
Slowly Reese sat up and, rubbing his eyes sleepily, got out of bed. Somehow the room looked different to him, as if he were seeing it for the first time. For the last month he had been grounded, confined to his room at all times, except when he was at school. No TV, no phone, no friends, even no desert. As the weeks had passed he come to hate this room, his very own prison cell, with the walls closing in by the day. At times he thought perhaps he was going mad, but eventually he came to accept his fate, as all prisoners do over time, and to focus on the day when it was finally over, when he would finally be free. That day had now come.  
  
Taking great care not to make a sound he crept across the room to the closet in the corner. He knew the hinges always creaked, so he had oiled them the night before. Gingerly he put his fingers on the handle of the door, and pulled. The closet opened without a sound. He reached into the drawer where he kept his underwear and rummaged around. A few seconds later his hand emerged, holding a small package. A small package, wrapped in glossy red wrapping paper, bearing a small label. He examined the package, and, convinced that everything was in order, tiptoed towards the door of the bedroom.  
  
As he passed Malcolm and Dewey's sleeping forms he couldn't resist gloating. 'So long, suckers!' he whispered to them as he reached the door. Of course, he knew that nobody would be awake yet, but he checked the hallway anyway before he stepped out of the room. It was empty. Lois wouldn't be up for at least another 15 minutes, and she was always the first one awake in the morning. Reese slowly entered the kitchen and looked around. The curtains were still drawn, but the rising sun shone through them and cast the room in an eerie glow. He headed for the table and placed the package in the centre of it, where no one could possibly miss it.  
  
Reese grinned to himself once more and, with a final glance at the table, he headed back into the bedroom and slipped back into bed, shutting his eyes and pretending to be asleep. In the kitchen the light gradually grew as the sun rose higher. It shone now on the small card attached to the package on the table. The card read: 'Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad, Love From Reese.'  
  
***  
  
'Oh my God, Reese that's so generous, that's so thoughtful' said Lois, unable to contain the happiness than now spread across her face. She held in her hands the remains of the small package, the package which had contained a gold picture frame. The frame now lay in the middle of the table. There was a photo in it, a photo which had been taken on their last vacation. It showed the family standing together, all smiling, all looking happy.  
  
Hal reached forward and picked up the gift. Reese fancied he saw a tear form in the corner of his eye as he looked at. 'Thank you son' he said, looking at Reese. 'You have no idea how much this means to us.'  
  
'That's all right Dad,' said Reese, 'Just seeing the look on your face is thanks enough for me. And Mom,' he said, turning to Lois at the other end of the table, 'you as well. Your reaction says more than words ever could.'  
  
Across the table from Reese, Malcolm and Dewey looked positively stunned, and even a little sheepish. They were surprised not only by Reese's generosity, but also annoyed at the fact that he had not told them that Mom and Dad's anniversary was coming up. They had an unwritten agreement to always go in together on presents, an agreement which Reese had just violated in the worst possible way. Their look of shock turned to one of anger as Reese smirked at them, rubbing it in their faces.  
  
'Well thank you anyway, son,' said Hal, and then turning to Malcolm and Deway he said 'and you two could do with taking a leaf out of Reese's book., following his example. Isn't that right honey' he said to Lois.  
  
'I'm very disappointed with you boys, especially you Malcolm' said Lois. 'I would have expected better of you. How would you like it if your father and I forgot to get you a present on your birthday? Then maybe you'd appreciate how it feels when someone you love doesn't care enough to remember special occasions'  
  
'I'm sorry Mom, Dad' replied Malcolm, forlornly. He couldn't think of anything else to say, so he hung his head and began to eat his cereal, trying to avoid Lois's gaze.  
  
For a while no one spoke, Lois and Hal still smiling and occasionally extending a look of gratitude towards Reese, Malcolm glaring at him across the table. They ate their pancakes in silence. After a couple of minutes Lois said:  
  
'You know I really don't feel like giving you boys good news, but I guess I'd better tell you anyway. I spoke to Francis last night, he's coming home for the weekend, to see your father and I on our anniversary. I'm picking him up from the airport this afternoon.'  
  
'Yay!' said Dewey happily. Malcolm just smiled, still eager to keep a low profile.  
  
'And,' continued Lois, 'he's agreed to look after you boys this evening while we're at dinner, he said something about taking you the movies. Anyway, I'm sure you'll be happy because now you don't have to have a babysitter.'  
  
'Yay!' said Dewey again. At Lois's last remark Reese looked up from his food, a hint of concern on his face.  
  
'I can still go to my party, can't I Mom?' he asked. The party was the ultimate way to celebrate his new-found freedom. It was being organised by a girl in his class named Delilah. For several weeks now Reese had secretly had a crush on Delilah, but to date he had been too nervous to ask her out. He planned to get over himself and do it at the party that evening, and so obviously he was still eager to go, despite the fact that Francis was coming home. 'I can see Francis all weekend,' he thought to himself, 'but I can't miss that party. I'll never get a better opportunity to get to know Delilah'  
  
'Sure you can, son' replied Hal, 'but you'll have to get Francis to drive you there. Your Mom and I are going out quite early, we're uh, gonna go out for a few drinks before dinner.' Hal had planned his and Lois's anniversary dinner down to the smallest detail. They were going to go to a bar for a couple of drinks, and then on to the restaurant. It would be the perfect evening.  
  
Malcolm had stayed quite for a while, but this was the final straw. Reese may have got one over on him with the anniversary gift, but he sure wasn't going to go to a party whilst Malcolm was stuck at the movies. Malcolm, however, hadn't reckoned with Lois.  
  
'Can I go to the party too?' he asked.  
  
'Of course you can't,' snapped Lois. 'For one you weren't invited, and I won't have you gatecrashing, and two I don't really feel inclined to let you do anything at the moment. Just be grateful you're allowed to go out with Francis rather than staying at home with a babysitter.'  
  
Malcolm knew it was futile to attempt to argue with Lois in this mood, so once again he shut his mouth, not wanting to give her further ammunition. Reese continued to look smug, occasionally grinning in the direction of Malcolm and Dewey.  
  
'It'll be nice to see Francis again' said Hal eventually. At the other end of the table Lois remained poker-faced. It was well known that the last time she had seen Francis they had parted on less than friendly terms. Hal was eager to lay the groundwork for reconciliation. But his remark served only to kill the conversation, with none of the boys wanting to tread on Lois's toes if she was still mad at Francis. The rest of the meal passed in silence. When they had finished Reese headed into the bedroom to fetch his back for school. Malcolm quickly followed him, grabbing him just inside the door and pinning him against the wall.  
  
'What the hell do you think you're doing. You know we always go in together on presents. I can't believe you didn't even tell us it was today. You totally crossed the line, man. I mean, this is like betraying us to Mom.'  
  
'Welcome to the NFL' replied Reese, freeing himself easily from Malcolm's grip. 'If you can't take the hits, don't play the game.' 


	2. Chapter 2

Reese leaned against the wall, attempting to appear relaxed and unconcerned as the music and babble of conversation from the party filled the air around him. He had arrived what he considered to be fashionably late, and the party was already in full swing. He had spotted Delilah immediately, standing in the corner of the room talking to a group of friends. Someone had obviously just told a joke because suddenly the group started laughing, Delilah displaying her radiant smile and perfect teeth. Reese waited for a moment when he could dive in and start a conversation with her, when he could get her on her own. He was convinced that if she could just get to know him she would surely feel the same way about him as he did about her.  
  
As casually as he could he strode over to the refreshments table on the other side of the room and grabbed himself a drink, not taking his eyes of the group in the corner for a second. 'Come on' he thought to himself, 'just go to the bathroom or something. You can't talk to them all evening.' Eventually Delilah broke off from the group she was talking to and headed in Reese's direction. 'This is it' he thought, 'just be cool.' Quickly he smoothed his hair with his right hand and, looking quickly in the mirror beside him, removed a speck of smudge from his face with his left. Delilah moved closer, he positioned himself directly in her path, she was almost there. Suddenly someone stepped in front of him, blocking her from his view. A hand was thrust out towards him towards him, and a voice said.  
  
'Hi, I'm Walter, Walter Spender. My friends just call me Walt.'  
  
'Err, hey Walt' replied Reese, peering round him to try and see where Delilah had gone. He could see her talking to another group of girls who had just arrived. He had missed his chance. 'Damn' he said out loud.  
  
'Damn what?' said Walt, smiling at Reese. 'You know I'm sorry just to barge in on you like this, but I saw you arrive and you looked pretty lonely, standing here all by yourself.'  
  
'Yeah, whatever' said Reese, still not paying attention. At last he turned his attention from Delilah and focused on Walt. He was slightly taller than him, and probably a couple of years older as well. He had brown hair and dark eyes. He was smiling now, a glint in his eye that made Reese feel uneasy.  
  
'I don't believe I know your name' Walt was saying.  
  
'It's Reese.' Delilah had now left the group of people by the door and headed into the kitchen, out of Reese's view.  
  
'Reese, that's a nice name. This sure is a great party, isn't it?'  
  
'I haven't seen you before,' said Reese, finally focusing on the conversation at hand, 'How do you know Delilah.'  
  
'She's my cousin actually. My family live in Milwaukee but we're here visiting for a couple of weeks. We're heading back on Monday, so this is really my last chance to get to know people here.' He said this in a hopeful tone which once again put Reese on his guard. There was something odd about Walt, something the Reese couldn't quite place. All he knew was that he wanted out of this conversation, and fast.  
  
'Look Walt...' he began, but he was interrupted.  
  
'I say this is a great party, but I'm starting to get bored with it to tell you the truth. Do you maybe want to get out of here, perhaps go to a movie or something, or whatever you want?' Walt asked, moving closer to Reese  
  
Reese's eyes suddenly went wide as he realised what Walt had just said. His mouth dropped open. 'Whoa, slow down,' he said quickly, jumping back, 'I'm think you've got the wrong idea here.'  
  
'How do you mean?'  
  
'I mean I'm not gay, okay?' hissed Reese, almost in a whisper. He was suddenly eager not to let anyone overhear this conversation.  
  
'Oh...right' said Walt, beginning to look slightly uncomfortable. 'Umm...are you sure? It's just, I can usually tell.'  
  
'Of course I'm sure' said Reese, starting to get a little angry.  
  
'Sorry' said Walt, looking sheepish, 'It's just...I was getting a strong gay vibe from you. But if you say you're not then that's cool.'  
  
'Believe me, I'm not. Whatever vibe or impression you were getting, it's wrong, okay. It could not be more wrong.' There was an uncomfortable silence.  
  
'What can I say? I'm sorry' said Walt. 'I'm going to go now.' He quickly turned away from Reese and practically ran out of the house.  
  
Reese looked around in amazement. 'What the hell just happened?' he thought to himself, still stunned and surprised, and just a little bit worried. 'Of course I'm not gay' he thought, trying to reassure himself. 'I mean, I'd know by now wouldn't I? But he said he could tell, that I had a strong gay vibe. Oh man!' A multitude of thoughts raced around is head. Could he really be gay? What would his family say if he was? He was very confused.  
  
Once again he spotted Delilah. She had left the kitchen and was heading in his direction once more. Instinctively he moved to intercept her, but then he hesitated. How could he possibly hope to talk to her after what had just happened? What if she thought he was gay as well? Before Delilah could get near him he decided to follow Walt's example. He raced across the room and through the door, out into the night.  
  
***  
  
Francis, Malcolm and Dewey emerged from the movie theatre into semi- darkness. The movie hadn't been great, but Malcolm and Dewey were just happy to spend some time with Francis. They had talked most of the way through, to the great annoyance of the other people watching.  
  
'So what do you guys want to do now?' asked Francis, as they headed towards the car.  
  
'Mom said we have to go straight home afterwards,' said Malcolm, and Dewey nodded in agreement.  
  
'I'm perfectly aware of what Mom said,' replied Francis. 'The thing is, Mom and Dad won't be home until late, so they'll never know what time we get home. Anyway she's being totally unreasonable. Why shouldn't we be allowed to have some fun, Reese got to go to a party.'  
  
'That's why I love Francis,' thought Malcolm, 'he's such a rebel.'  
  
'Let's get ice creams!' said Dewey in excitement.  
  
'Sure thing sport' replied Francis. 'We can go to that place over on 3rd, they have the best ice cream in town.' They were approaching the car, but before they reached it three figures stepped out of the shadows, blocking their way. Francis stared at the figures, and then recognition sprang into his eyes.  
  
'Hey guys, what's up?' he said, looking into the faces of his friends Richie, Circus and Justin. 'Man I haven't seen you guys for ages, how've you been?'  
  
'Well, look who it is' said Richie, in a voice which was far from friendly. 'The three stooges. I'm surprised you've got the nerve to show your face around here any more man.'  
  
'What are you talking about, come on Richie, stop messing around' replied Francis. This had no effect whatsoever on the looks of dislike still displayed on their faces. 'Come on guys we're friends, we have been since second grade when blew up that toilet together' he added, in a last ditch attempt to try and salvage the situation.  
  
'Not any more man. You betrayed us. You finally got away from military school and what do you do? You go marching off to Alaska without so much as a goodbye. You were our leader, dude, but you abandoned us. When we were vandalising the town square where were you? When we went joyriding in that fancy car where were you? When we went to jail for assaulting that cop where were you?'  
  
'Look I'm sorry, okay. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye to you guys before I left, but I was in a hurry. I had to get out of town before my parents killed me. You should have seen how mad they were.'  
  
'Sorry just isn't gonna cut it, Francis. Not this time' said Richie. 'I regret that we have to do this, but you left us no choice.' The three of them began to advance menacingly on Francis, Malcolm and Dewey. They took a step back, Dewey quickly hiding behind Francis.  
  
'Don't worry guys, everything's under control.' Francis whispered to the other two.  
  
'How is everything under control?' shouted Malcolm desperately, 'they're gonna kick our ass!' Richie, Justin and Circus moved closer.  
  
'I've got a plan' said Francis calmly, 'just do exactly what I tell you.' The advancing figures had now almost reached them.  
  
'Wait for it,' whispered Francis, 'RUN!' He grabbed Dewey round the waist and picked him up under his arm, then both he and Malcolm turned and sprinted as fast as they could, across the car park and down the street in the direction of their home. Richie and the guys pursued them, keeping with them for a few blocks before eventually giving up the chase, too exhausted to run any further.  
  
'This isn't over' Richie shouted after their rapidly retreating forms.  
  
'Count on it!' Francis yelled back at them.  
  
***  
  
Lois and Hal's evening had been perfect. They had both got slightly drunk even before they had reached the restaurant, but the food had been great. Lois as always had ordered the lobster, Hal the steak. They had talked late into the evening about anything and everything, and for that few hours at least it had been like when they were first married. No kids, no responsibility, not a care in the world. They were now on the dessert, and Hal was lovingly spooning chocolate moose into Lois's mouth. She was in heaven.  
  
Abruptly the moment was interrupted by a voice behind them. 'Lois, Hal, I didn't expect to see you here. What an unexpected coincidence.' It was Craig.  
  
He had been watching them from the other side of the restaurant for the entire evening. Lois had mentioned to him earlier in the week that she and Hal were going out to celebrate their anniversary, so Craig had followed them. For the past several hours he had been lost in fantasy, imagining it were him sitting there with Lois. At last it had been too much for him. He felt he must interrupt, put a stop to it before it drove him insane. He had to get Hal out of the way. Now that he had reached the table though he was nervous, and less determined. How could he confront Hal whilst Lois was there?  
  
'Craig!' spluttered Lois in great surprise. 'What are you doing here?'  
  
'Oh you know, just having dinner. I'd completely forgotten it was your anniversary tonight. What a bizarre chance that we ended up in the same restaurant, huh?' replied Craig, suddenly eager to leave and consider his options. 'How are you Hal?'  
  
'Just fine Craig, just fine' replied Hal. Recently he had come to dislike Craig. There was something about the way he acted when Lois was around that he didn't quite like. 'Are you dining alone?'  
  
'Well yes actually. You know I like to come here sometimes just to get away from things, it's a very relaxing place, I just enjoy spending time here.' There was an awkward silence, during which Craig fidgeted and looked anxiously from Lois to Hal. He seemed unsure of what to do next. Hal glanced at Lois, giving her a quizzical look .  
  
'Well it was good seeing you' said Craig eventually, 'I'd better be heading home now. See you on Monday Lois.' Hurriedly he scampered back to his own table, which fortunately was behind Lois and Hal, so they couldn't see him. He hastily paid the cheque and got up to leave. His determination was returning again. He knew that he had to confront Hal. He just had to wait for the right place, and the right time. 


	3. Chapter 3

After the hectic events of Friday night the rest of the weekend had passed relatively quietly. Lois and Hal had spent their anniversary at home with their family, and during those peaceful hours all of their problems had been practically forgotten, seeming too insignificant to even contemplate. On Monday morning, however, the honeymoon period was over, and they each woke up to the harsh light of day. Lois lay in bed thinking about the situation with Craig, wondering how she could possibly help him to get over her and move on with his life. Francis, Malcolm and Dewey were imagining what would happen if they ran into Richie and his gang again, and considering all sorts of possible methods of retribution. Reese was worrying about what had happened with Walt at the party, still very confused and just a little bit scared. Even Hal was depressed, thinking about the prospect of another long week at work.  
  
All in all it was not a happy family that sat down to breakfast, and even the prospect of pancakes did little to imbue their spirit. They passed the meal in silence, like prisoners bent over their plates, no one wanting to make eye contact, the atmosphere a cross between that of a classroom and a morgue. Eventually they finished eating and Lois began to clear away the plates. Whilst the rest of the family were getting ready to leave for their respective occupations Malcolm headed in the direction of the bedroom to fetch his books for school. Seeing him leave Reese quickly went after him.  
  
Throughout breakfast Reese had been thinking more and more about the events of the party. Whilst in the past he had never even questioned his sexuality, the encounter with Walt had raised numerous doubt in his mind. He still didn't believe himself to be gay, but he felt like a black shadow had been cast over him, one which he could not be rid of until he had proven once and for all, both to everyone else but more importantly to himself, that he was straight. Though it was usually not a practice of his to ask Malcolm for advice, in this case he felt that he must talk to someone, and Malcolm was as good a candidate as any. 'Who knows, Malcolm may even have been through something like this himself,' he thought to himself as he entered the bedroom. Malcolm was on the other side of the room, picking up papers and stuffing them into his backpack.  
  
'Err, Malcolm, can I talk to you about something? Reese asked apprehensively. Malcolm turned around, looking slightly irritated.  
  
'I can't find my math book, can you believe that? I mean it sits there for months and when I finally actually need it it just disappears' he replied, before turning back to the desk and resuming his search.  
  
Now it was Reese's turn to look irritated. He headed across the room towards Malcolm. 'I'm serious, forget your damn book and just listen to me, OK?' He reached Malcolm. Who turned around and looked at him.  
  
'What is it?' Malcolm asked, focusing his attention on Reese.  
  
'First of all, if you breathe a word of what I tell you to anyone, I'll give you such a beating they'll finding pieces of you all over the house for weeks. I mean it, you have to keep this to yourself.' Malcolm suddenly looked more interested. He dropped the papers he was holding and grabbed his backpack.  
  
'What is it?' he asked again. 'Are you in some kind of trouble. What did you do this time?' Malcolm was unable to keep the excitement out of his voice, eager to hear what Reese was going to say.  
  
'I'm not in any trouble, at least not the sort of trouble you mean. It's about what happened at the party on Friday night...' Reese began.  
  
'Can we talk about this on the way to school' interrupted Malcolm, glancing at his watch, 'it's just otherwise we're gonna be late, and while that may not matter to you some of us actually care about getting into trouble.' He slung the backpack over his shoulder and headed for the door, Reese following suit. As they exited the bedroom into the hall they heard the sound of arguing from the kitchen. It appeared that Lois and Hal were fighting about Craig. Malcolm thought he heard Hal saying:  
  
'I don't want you working with that man. I just don't trust him. I've seen the way he looks at you!' To which he heard Lois reply:  
  
'Oh, since when do you get to tell me who I may or may not work with? What gives you the right to dictate to me how to live my life?' And then they were out of the front door and heading down the path towards the street.  
  
'Mom sure sounds pissed' Reese remarked dryly.  
  
'Yeah' replied Malcolm, 'I reckon we should put as much distance as possible between us and her before she explodes!' They both laughed, but somewhat half-heartedly. They had been on the wrong end of Lois's temper and felt her wrath too many times to make that much of a joke out of it. They turned out of the driveway and made a left onto the sidewalk. Reese's junior high was only a short distance from Malcolm's school, so they could walk together for the majority of the journey.  
  
Reese looked around apprehensively, checking to make sure there was no one about before he launched into the account of the events of Saturday night. He told Malcolm all about his crush on Delilah, his attempts to make contact with her, and finally his encounter with Walt. 'And after that I just left, I mean, how could I stay at the party after what happened?' Malcolm nodded in agreement.   
  
'And you're sure nobody overheard you' he said, 'I mean, if this got out, you'd be a laughing stock.'  
  
'I'm pretty sure no one heard us' replied Reese, 'but I can't be certain.' They had reached a busy intersection, and they paused their conversation as they waited with a crowd of other people to cross the street. Having negotiated the crossing they began to talk again in hushed voices.  
  
'Well as long as nobody finds out then what's your problem?' asked Malcolm, with an air of finality. 'Just put it behind you and move on.'  
  
'That's the thing, I can't' said Reese in his usual exasperate tone. 'I wish I could, but it's like a curse hanging over me, you know. I feel like I need to prove myself before I can move on.' He looked at Malcolm expectantly, sure that the solution to his problem was imminent. After all, Malcolm was supposedly a genius, this should be a walk in the park for him.  
  
'So go prove yourself then' Malcolm replied. Reese scowled at him.  
  
'That's your advice. An IQ of 165 an all you can come up with is 'Go prove yourself!' Well gee, Malcolm, thanks for the advice. I sure am glad I asked you about this.' He said sarcastically.  
  
'Well I don't know' responded Malcolm. 'I'm a genius not a psychiatrist. Why don't you just go make out with a hot girl? Why don't you join a sports team?... Why don't you just get over it for Christ sake?' he added angrily. They had reached the point where they had to go their separate ways, and Reese turned to Malcolm looking less than pleased.   
  
'I should have known you wouldn't understand' he said, more in disappointment than in anger. 'I'll see you later, and thanks for nothing.' He turned away and headed in the direction of the junior high, which was now only four blocks away. Malcolm just shook his head as he set off in the opposite direction. Though he would never say it he was flattered that Reese had asked his advice on such a personal matter. He had felt closer to his brother during that one conversation than he remembered having been for a long, long time, and he also felt guilty that he hadn't been able to be more helpful. He made a mental note to talk to Reese that evening and straighten things out with him.  
  
Without realising it though, Malcolm had actually given Reese a very useful piece of advice. As he continued on his way to school one thing that Malcolm had said stuck in Reese's head. 'Join a sports team.' The more he thought about it the more it seemed like the perfect solution. He could prove his masculinity and have fun at the same time. Though his previous experience of joining a school team had been a less than positive one, when he had briefly been a member of the wrestling team the previous year, he now warmed to the idea. The only thing he had to do was decide what sport to try out for. 


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Reese reached school he was already 5 minutes late, but he was still no closer to settling on a solution to his problem. There were just so many sports to choose from - baseball, football, soccer, even things like basketball and hockey - and he felt that given the chance he could be good at any of them. He wandered idly through the corridors, not in any hurry to get to class. He was so deep in thought that he didn't see the person waiting for him by his locker until he had almost walked into her. He jumped with surprise, which turned into astonishment as he looked into the face of Delilah. She smiled at him. He felt as if his legs had turned to stone, he couldn't move.  
  
'Hey Reese. I didn't see you at my party on Friday' she said, still smiling. Reese just stared at her with a dumb expression on his face, still temporarily paralysed. 'Where were you?' She continued, 'I was looking forward to maybe getting to know you a little better, you know we've never really spoken before.' There was still no response. 'Reese?'  
  
Gradually Reese regained control of his body. It was a slow process, kind of like waking up from a really deep sleep. 'Well I was... you see... something came up, at the last minute.' He said eventually. 'Why aren't you in class?' He added, hastily trying to change the subject.  
  
'Because I was waiting for you, I wanted to talk to you. I hope that's OK.' She was beginning to look slightly puzzled by the strange way Reese was acting. In the past he had tended to gaze at her in something like adoration, but now he stared at her in horror as if she were a monster. She knew he liked her of course, it would be obvious to a blind rabbit, and she was beginning to develop a slight crush on him as well.  
  
'Oh, oh right, I'm sorry I...' he trailed off, still looking very distracted.   
  
'Reese are you alright?' Delilah asked in a concerned voice. He appeared to be sweating quite heavily, and he kept looking away from her, as if he couldn't face seeing her.  
  
Eventually he spoke, and it was in the voice of a broken man. 'Delilah I... I'm sorry, I just can't do this.' He turned and ran in the direction of the boys' locker room, not stopping until he was safely inside. Behind him Delilah looked shocked and hurt. She called after him a few times, but to no avail, he was gone.  
  
  
***  
  
  
For several minutes now Craig had been watching Lois, peering through the gap in the shelves on the other side of the store from her. Though his view was partly obstructed by tins of baby food and packets of diapers he could still make out the gentle curve of her shoulders as she leant over the cash register, the stress of another hard day already evident in the slump of her posture. Though his love for her had not in any way diminished and his determination to confront Hal once and for all had not abated, he still felt bad about what interrupting their dinner on Friday night. He couldn't stand the thought that Lois might be mad at him, or worse disappointed with him for letting his feelings get the better of him in public, in front of her husband. There was just one important thing he needed to do before he moved forward with his plan - he had to apologise.  
  
He walked quickly to the back of the store, moving lightly on his feet as large men often do, barely making a sound. He pushed open the door to the storeroom and entered. Taking a moment to compose himself he reached for the microphone in the corner, pressing the button which would broadcast his voice throughout the store.  
  
'Lois, can I see you in inventory for a moment?' came the sound of Craig's nervous voice over the intercom. A minute later Lois appeared at the door, a slightly frazzled expression on her face. She looked at Craig expectantly.  
  
'What is it Craig?' She asked impatiently, 'can you make this quick I'm very busy at the moment.'  
  
Craig took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead. 'Lois I would like to apologise for interrupting you anniversary dinner on Friday' he said in a monotone voice. 'It was very rude and unnecessary of me, I wasn't thinking. Please accept this gift as a token of how truly sorry I am.' He produced a small package from his pocket which he held out to Lois, who couldn't help but smile.  
  
'Oh, Craig' she said in exasperation. 'Craig it's not a problem, you don't have to apologise to me. And you know I can't accept this gift. Just don't worry about it, okay? I appreciate the thought though.' She smiled at him again, and then turned to leave. 'Now I really have to get back to work.'  
  
'I'll see you later' Craig called after her as she left, a satisfied grin on his face. 'Phase one complete' he said to himself quietly, 'now time for phase two - Operation Take Hal Out.' The grin spread across his face once more.  
  
  
***  
  
  
'And then we just ran for it' said Malcolm dramatically, 'and they chased after us like a pack of feral dogs. It was a close thing, but we just got away by the skin of our teeth. When I think about it now I'm just thankful I lived to tell the tale.' Malcolm was relating the story of his encounter with Richie and the gang to the other Krelboynes, and they were hanging on his every word. Of course, he was taking a certain amount of artistic license, but judging by the gasps and occasional squeal from his rapt audience. That didn't seem to matter at all. When he had finished the 'tale' they broke out into an impromptu round of applause, no doubt dazzled by Malcolm's bravery and gallantry in nobly saving Dewey from certain death. Now they looked at him with something like reverence. All of them that is, except one.  
  
'What a...load of...bull!' said Stevie emphatically as the crowd around Malcolm began to gradually diminish. Malcolm glared at him, but fortunately none of the other Krelboynes had heard.  
  
'All right, all right, so maybe I exaggerated it slightly' he said in a hushed whisper, 'but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. I mean, we were this close to getting our butts kicked.' He held out his hand in a gesture that indicated they were very close indeed.  
  
'What...ever' said Stevie casually. He began to wheel himself towards the door of the classroom, following the other Krelboynes who were already outside. Reluctantly Malcolm followed him.  
  
'Well anyway,' he said as he pushed Stevie's wheelchair in the direction of the cafeteria, 'one thing's for certain, I need to think of some way to get back at those jerks. I talked about it with Francis but he was all out of ideas. He said that when it came to mischief, mayhem and general debauchery those guys were the best of the best. He seemed kind of in awe of them.' They had reached the cafeteria now and they joined the lunch queue. Stevie always bought a packed lunch from home but he usually waited in line with Malcolm anyway. It wasn't as if either of them had any other friends.  
  
'I might...be able...to help you' said Stevie eventually. He couldn't help but smile as he thought about his idea.  
  
'What could you possibly do to help? Asked Malcolm, a little harshly, but Stevie continued to smile.  
  
'Wouldn't..you like...to know?' he asked in reply.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Reese sat dejectedly on a bench between two rows of lockers, staring into space. Now he had really done it, blown the only good chance he was likely to have of getting to know Delilah. Most likely she would never speak to him again after this. The disillusionment and embarrassment he felt was nothing compared to the frustration however. It was as if he were filling up like a balloon, a balloon which must surely burst in an outpouring of anger and aggression. He felt it welling up inside him, his internal demons shouting down his better angels as they reared their ugly heads, building to a crescendo which surged throughout his body, taking control. And then he was off. He emitted a yell as he began to run, a primal scream that was more animal than man. He hit the row of lockers at full speed in a fluid shoulder charge. The pain rushed down his arm and throughout his upper body like an electric current. He reeled away in shock as the entire row of metal lockers was sent tumbling by the impact, doors bursting open as if they were on springs. With an almighty crash they landed, sending dust spraying in all directions like an erupting volcano. Reese stared at the devastation open mouthed, astonished at the mayhem he had created, but equally surprised at how good it had felt. Though the pain in his arm was extreme he couldn't help but smile, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Abruptly he heard sharp sound from behind him, and he reeled around suddenly. He saw the figure of Coach Crawford standing by the door. To Reese's amazement he was clapping, a slow rhythmical applause which seemed all the more bizarre amid the wreckage of the locker room at his feet. Slowly the Coach crossed the room towards Reese, a strange look on his face that was half pleasure and half disapproval. All the while he continued to applaud.  
  
'Nice moves, son. That was quite a hit!' he said eventually as he reached Reese, who smiled.  
  
'Thanks Coach!' he replied. 'I don't know what came over me.'  
  
'Well whatever it was' continued the Coach, 'I liked it. You know there's always an opening on the football team for someone with the sort of raw aggression you just showed. It's that enthusiasm and spirit that wins ball games, and God, we badly need some winners on the team.' The Coach paused as he considered his next words carefully. 'Look son, why don't you come down to practice this afternoon, we can try you out in a real game situation. I'm not promising anything, but you sure have some potential.'  
  
'Sure, absolutely' said Reese without a second thought. He had been racking his brains to think of some possible way to break into a sports team, and now suddenly an opportunity had fallen right into his lap. He intended to grab it with both hands.  
  
'3.00pm sharp, don't be late' said the Coach as he turned to leave. He took another look at the toppled row of lockers. 'And you'd better get this mess cleaned up before the Principal finds out. I don't want you missing training because you've got detention.' Reese surveyed the mess and prepared to clear up. 'Oh and son' said the Coach; Reese turned to look at him again. 'If I were you I'd put some ice on that shoulder.' 


	5. Chapter 5

That evening the family sat down to dinner in an expectant mood. Reese had informed them earlier that he had some big news to tell them, and judging by the excited tone of his voice it was something they were going to want to hear, unlike his usual reports about how much detention he had got and whom he had beaten up this week.  
  
'So Reese, what's this important thing you have to tell us?' asked Hal as he took his usual seat at the head of the table. 'This all looks delicious honey' he added to Lois as he regarded the food in front of them, in a lame attempt to make up for their earlier fight. Lois was unmoved.  
  
'I think we're all intrigued to know what Reese has to say' she said, 'so come on, spill the beans' she added to Reese.  
  
'Well, I wanted to wait until we were all together to tell you' began Reese as he transferred a mountain of mashed potato onto his plate. 'You remember when I was on the school wrestling team a couple of years ago. I was doing my bit for the school and it felt good, people were proud of me, well I miss that. That's why I decided to try out for the football team.' He looked at Malcolm as he said this, remembering their earlier conversation. It was true that this was not the main reason for him trying out, as Malcolm well knew, but it had certainly been a factor. Malcolm nodded in agreement, understanding what Reese had meant by the look.  
  
Lois and Hal on the other hand both looked momentarily stunned. The idea of Reese actively seeking to 'do his bit for the school' was so dramatically out of character that they were temporarily speechless. Lois recovered first.  
  
'Well how did it go? Did you make the team?' she said enthusiastically, but slightly too late. Reese said nothing, a slightly bemused look creeping across his face.  
  
'Come on son, don't keep us in suspense' added Hal light-heartedly, attempting to salvage the situation.  
  
'As a matter of fact I did make the team' said Reese a little bitterly. 'The Coach said I was one of the most promising players he'd ever seen. Not that you seem to care that much.'  
  
'Of course we care honey' said Lois immediately, 'and that's fantastic news! Congratulations! We were just a little surprised that's all. I mean this was completely out of the blue. We didn't even know you liked football.'  
  
'Like it?' said Reese emphatically. 'I get to wear a ton of padding and then pound on people, how could I not like it' he added happily. Malcolm and Dewey said nothing, both looking a little bit shocked by this turn of events.  
  
'Well I'm very proud of you son' said Hal in a slightly choked voice. 'You know I played a little football too in high school, I was a quarterback actually, and not a bad one either. They used to call me 'Shotgun Hal,' God, those were the days.' His face took on a slightly dreamy complexion as he remembered his past glories.  
  
Reese still couldn't believe how easy it had been. Once he'd started playing it just felt so natural, as if he had been doing it for years. Of course he was well suited to the game, being physically strong and also benefiting from the aggression that came from years of bullying. Once he got out there on that field he had taken to football like a duck to water, and he had been an instant success with his team-mates as well. For once all the pieces of his life were falling into place at once, like a jigsaw whose picture was finally revealed. All except one piece which still alluded him, and to him it was the most important piece of all - Delilah. He had thought about her a great deal that day. Even when he had been on the football field immersed in the game she had still been on his mind. His very own albatross round his neck. He sighed as he though of her once more.  
  
Hal's voice brought him abruptly back to reality. 'What position did they put you in Reese?' he asked with interest. 'I would have you down as somewhere on defence myself.' He looked at Reese thoughtfully. 'Yes, definitely defence.'  
  
'Nice guess dad. I'm a defensive back, so basically it's my job to cream the guy who's running with the ball' Reese said keenly, 'and I get to have the occasional crack at the quarterback as well, maybe get an interception, it's a great position.' At the other end of the table Hal was looking at him with astonishment, surprised by his knowledge of the game. 'It's amazing how much you can learn about a sport in one afternoon if you really put your mind to it' Reese added, seeing the look that Hal was giving him.  
  
'Well, if you ever need some pointers' Hal said eventually, 'you only need to ask. I'm happy to give you the benefit of my experience, although it sounds like you have it pretty well covered.'  
  
'Thanks dad' said Reese, smiling at his father, 'I appreciate that.' Hal beamed back at him.  
  
'So Reese' said Lois proudly from the other end of the table, 'when's your first game. I think we're all eager to see you in action.'  
  
'Well you won't have to wait very long - we have a game this Saturday against Princeville High' replied Reese excitedly. 'They're one of the best teams in the district so if we beat them it'll really improve our reputation.'  
  
'This Saturday, well that's great' said Lois. 'We can all come and watch you. I just wish Francis was around to hear the big news. It's a shame he's out tonight, he would have been really proud of you. I bet he'll be looking forward to the game when he finds out. You know he tried out for the football team when he was in Junior High, but he didn't make it.' Malcolm and Dewey's ears pricked up as they sensed an embarrassing story about Francis. 'I think they said something about him being too weak' continued Lois. At this Malcolm and Dewey both sniggered. Lois gave them a warning glance which shut them up immediately. She could say more with her eyes than most people could manage by raising their voice and shouting.  
  
Whilst the excitement and pride at Reese's announcement had made Hal and Lois temporarily forget their fight, now it was time for it to rear its ugly head once more. Lois sensed a chance to humiliate Hal. 'That sure was a kick in the teeth for you wasn't in Hal?' she said unpleasantly, 'putting all that effort into grooming Francis to follow in your footsteps and play football and then him being comprehensively rejected like that.' It was clear that the fight from earlier had by no means blown over. Hal looked positively furious, and had begun to go very red in the face.  
  
'And thank you so much for reminding me about that Lois' he replied sarcastically. 'And maybe if you hadn't been such an abject failure at disciplining the boy he wouldn't have grown up into a rebellious thug.' Lois glared at him. It was amazing how fast the mood in the room had changed, but that was only to be expected from this family. They were an argument waiting to happen.  
  
'Kids, could you leave the room please, your father and I need to have a discussion' said Lois slowly, a murderous glint in her eye. The boys knew better than to argue with her when she was in this mood, and in an instant they were gone, dashing for the safety of their bedroom.  
  
Hal braced himself for the onslaught.  
  
***  
  
It was later in the evening. Francis had returned from whatever social engagement he had been attending and was really excited to hear Reese's news. Lois and Hal had finished their fight and retired to separate rooms to cool off. The house had a peaceful air to it for once, like the calm after an earthquake or a volcanic eruption. The damage had already been done.  
  
Reese and Dewey sat watching TV in the living room, an almost trance-like look on their faces as they stared at the screen. In the bedroom however, Malcolm and Francis were far from relaxed as they discussed what to do about Richie and the gang. To date they had managed to avoid them through a combination of careful planning and luck, but this could not go on forever. Sooner or later they would have to face them, and it would most likely be sooner.  
  
'I'm telling you it's just no good' Francis said animatedly. 'They have us outnumbered three to two, so if it comes to a fight they're sure to win.' He sighed exasperatedly as he tried to think of some way the two of them could tackle Richie, Justin and Circus all at once.  
  
'What if we make sure it never gets as far as that?' Malcolm said thoughtfully. Francis looked at him with interest.  
  
'I'm listening,' he said.  
  
'I may have a way we can totally humiliate them, so much so that they won't even think about coming after us again. I'm talking hundreds of people laughing at them. They'll never show their faces in public again.'  
  
'What's the plan?' asked Francis, warming to the idea. Malcolm considered this for a moment, thinking back to his earlier conversation with Stevie' 'Yes that would work' he thought to himself.  
  
'A skunk bomb' he said eventually.  
  
'A skunk bomb?' said Francis incredulously. 'Are you serious?' he looked at Malcolm in amazement.  
  
'Always' replied Malcolm. 'Stevie was telling me about it earlier, all you have to do is fill a balloon with concentrated thiols and acetate derivatives, the chemical components of skunk spray, and you have yourself a skunk bomb. If we throw one of those at Richie and the guys then they'll stink of skunk for weeks.' Malcolm grinned as he considered this. 'We have all the chemicals I'll need to make it in the science lab at school, it'll be easy.'  
  
Francis's face had lit up as he heard the details of Malcolm's plan. It was just what they were looking for - an easy way to get those morons off their backs and teach them a lesson they so richly deserved to boot. 'I think it's winning' he said. 'The only question is where do we do it? It needs to be some sort of public place with crowds, where it'll draw the most attention, but where we can also easily make a quick getaway if necessary.'  
  
'Simple' said Malcolm smugly, 'we do it at Reese's game on Saturday. Plenty of people and lots of good hiding places.'  
  
'But how do we know they'll be at the game?' Francis asked thoughtfully.  
  
'They'll be at the game because they know we'll be at the game' replied Malcolm simply.  
  
Francis grinned. 'Okay, here's what we'll do' he said with a commanding air. 'You get on with the manufacturing, you'd better make several bombs just to be safe, but be really careful with them - we don't want you smelling like skunk!' Malcolm chuckled at this. 'I'll head over and case the football stadium tomorrow. I'll try and work out some way we can do this quickly and effectively. Those guys won't know what hit them.'  
  
'Got it' replied Malcolm. 'Now let's go and watch some TV.' Francis nodded, and they headed into the living room to join Reese and Dewey on the sofa.  
  
***  
  
Hal crept into the bedroom. It was late so he was fairly certain that Lois would be asleep, but you could never be too careful. He changed into his pyjamas and then tiptoed into the bathroom to get ready for bed. On the way back he switched the light off and then pushed the flusher on the toilet as he did every night. Nothing happened. He pushed it again. Still nothing. 'God Damnit!' he exclaimed. 'What's wrong with this hunk of junk now?'  
  
'Just leave it alone for five minutes and then maybe it'll be more eager to flush' called Lois irritably. She had obviously been woken up by Hal's cry.  
  
'It's a toilet Lois' said Hal, stepping into the bedroom, 'you shouldn't have to outwit it, it should just work!' He sighed. 'You know we can't go on like this, snapping at each other, trying to get one over on each other, humiliating each other. Sooner or later we have to make up.' He went over to the bed and sat down beside Lois.  
  
'You're right Hal' she replied. 'Maybe I was a little snappy earlier, and that thing with Francis was just cruel.'  
  
'And maybe I did overreact a little about Craig' said Hal in reply, 'but you know I'm only trying to protect you.'  
  
'Oh Hal, of course I know that' said Lois resignedly. 'Let's just put all of this behind us. It's a stupid fight about stupid insignificant stuff, we're bigger than that. And I'll call the plumber in the morning to get that damn toilet fixed.'  
  
'Sounds good' replied Hal, smiling. 'You know with all our arguing we've completely forgotten about Reese' he said, getting into bed. 'Do you know how proud I am to finally see him doing something constructive with his life?'  
  
'I sure do honey' replied Lois sleepily, 'I sure do.' 


	6. Chapter 6

Lois and Hal arrived at the stadium about 15 minutes before Reese's game was due to begin. Malcolm and Francis had got there some time earlier to make the final preparations for their plan. Now they were hidden under the stand making last minute adjustments to their skunk bombs.  
  
'Ok, here's the plan' said Francis in a low voice. 'You're the lookout man. From your post at the back of the stand you should be able to see everyone at the game. Get a fix on the target and then don't let them out of your sight.' Malcolm nodded.  
  
'We'll make our move at half-time,' continued Francis. 'When they leave their seats you double back behind the stand and attack from the North, I'll move in from the South - a classic pincer movement.' Though Francis considered his time at military school to have been an unmitigated disaster, it had certainly given him a useful knowledge of battle tactics. They each took one of the skunk bombs and held it carefully in one hand.  
  
'Let's bring it!' said Malcolm emphatically. They touched fists and then headed for their respective positions. The battle was about to commence.  
  
Meanwhile up above them in the stand Lois and Hal were making their way to their seats, Dewey trailing alone behind them, unhappy that ha had been dragged along to the game when he could have been at home watching cartoons. Hal was attempting to explain some of the finer points of the game to Lois, who knew very little about it whatsoever.  
  
'No Lois, when a player drops the ball it's called a fumble, but only if it happens whilst the play is in progress' he said, beginning to lose patience.  
  
'What does that mean Hal?' Lois asked. She couldn't understand why he didn't just tell her in the simplest terms the basic rules of the game.  
  
'It means if the player drops the ball when he's already out of bounds then it isn't a fumble, if he drops it when he's already hit the ground then it isn't a fumble, if he drops it when he's already scored a touchdown then you can bet your ass it isn't a fumble,' replied Hal.  
  
'Ok, remind me what a fumble is again,' said Lois cheekily. Hal thought she was being serious and looked furious.  
  
'I'm kidding, Hal' she said, smiling. 'I think I know enough to get by now. The other team wants to score a touchdown, Reese wants to stop them doing it. Simple, that's al I need to know.'  
  
'But there's so much more to it that that Lois,' began Hal, not taking the hint. Lois sighed as they took their seats in the middle of the stand, about 8 rows from the front. It was going to be an unbearable game if Hal continued in this vein. He considered himself to be quite the expert, and he insisted on forcing his expertise on others, regardless of whether they wanted to hear it or not.  
  
Several rows behind, unnoticed to both of them, sat Craig. As soon as he had heard from Lois earlier in the week about Reese's game, a subject she had seemingly talked non-stop about since, he knew that this was the moment he had been waiting for to finally put his plan into action. He watched them carefully, not wanting to let Hal out of his sight for a second. 'If I know Hal,' he thought, 'which I don't, then by the end of the first half he'll be so desperate for a beer that he'll give Lois the slip and try and find one. That's when I'll make my move.' He smiled to himself. It was almost worth sitting through an entire half of high school football for.  
  
***  
  
'This is it' thought Reese as the whistle blew and the opening kick-off soared through the air. There was a colossal roar from the crowd. 'Just stay focused, you'll be fine,' he reassured himself. As the ball sailed over his head he took a deep breath and charged at the opposing offensive line. The ball was caught by the opposing No. 41, and the mayhem began. Reese saw a wall of black shirts coming right at him like an express train as the offensive line charged. He noticed the player with the ball under his arm make a move to left so he followed, ducking under the other team's blocking. He was almost there, he let out a roar as he ran full on into the tackle, flattening the carrier to the ground. 'Have it!' he shouted defiantly as he landed on top of the other player, pinning him like prey ready to be killed.  
  
'AND HE'S TAKEN DOWN ON THE 25-YARD LINE,' came the voice of the announcer over the loudspeaker. 'AN EXCELLENT START FOR THE WARRIORS, AND IN PARTICULAR NO. 25 THEIR NEW DEFENSIVE BACK REESE WILKERSON, PLAYING IN ONLY HIS FIRST GAME!'  
  
'Was that Reese?' asked Lois excitedly from the stands.  
  
'Way to go son!' Hal shouted loudly.  
  
Reese leapt up from the ground and went into the huddle, a massive grin on his face. This was going to be fun.  
  
'THE BOARS HAVE POSSESSION DEEP IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY. IT'S TIME FOR THAT WARRIOR DEFENSE TO GET WORKING!'  
  
As the first half progressed the game continued to be very even. Each team scored an early touchdown and followed it up with two field goals apiece to leave the scores tied at 13-13 as half time approached. The Boars were on the offensive in the final few seconds looking for a decisive touchdown.  
  
'IT REALLY COULDN'T BE CLOSER HERE WITH JUST 6 SECONDS ON THE CLOCK - THE BOARS HAVE 1ST AND GOAL. COME ON WARRIORS, LET'S HOLD OUT,' said the announcer hopefully, but without much conviction.  
  
Reese readied himself for the play, surveying the positions of the offensive players, ready to make his move.  
  
'AND THERE'S THE SNAP, THE BOARS QUARTERBACK HAS THE BALL, HE TAKES A STEP BACK. HE SEEMS UNSURE OF WHERE TO THROW IT.'  
  
Reese quickly assessed the situation, then he charged at the quarterback with but one purpose on his mind - to bring him down in any way possible. He sidestepped one block and ran clean through another. His path now clear he ran at the opposing player like a bull at a rodeo. The clock ticked slowly down - 3... 2... 1...  
  
'WAIT A MINUTE - HERE COMES NO. 27 WILKERSON BREAKING FROM THE BACK LINE, HE'S CLOSING IN... AND HE'S SACKED! NUMBER 27 GETS THE SACK AND WE'RE HEADING TO HALF-TIME ALL SQUARE. BOY, WHAT A PLAY!'  
  
'Come on!' shouted Reese, fired up from his success. His team-mates crowded around him, patting him and shouting encouragement. 'Save it for afterwards,' he warned them, 'we've got a game to win!'  
  
***  
  
'Well that was really something' said Hal, standing up and stretching. The seats had been extremely uncomfortable to say the least. Beside him Dewey was fast asleep, entirely oblivious to the excitement. 'You know all that cheering has sure made me thirsty,' continued Hal, in a lame attempt at subtlety. 'I think I'll see if I can find somewhere I can get a diet soda or something. You want anything honey?'  
  
'No thanks, I'm good,' replied Lois from the seat beside him, looking very suspicious. Hal made his way along the row of seats as quickly as he could before Lois had the chance to ask any follow-up questions. He headed down the steps towards the refreshments area behind the stand. As he rounded the corner he spotted what he had been hoping for - a beer stand on the far side of the grass. He walked towards it. Seeing him go Craig quickly stood up and hurried after him, running through in his mind what he was planning to say. He paused for a moment to look at Lois as he passed her row. 'Don't worry my love' he said quietly to himself, 'soon everything will be put right, and we can be together as we were always meant to be.' He exited the stadium and immediately spotted Hal on the other side of the refreshment area, queuing at the beer stand. Craig strode across the grass towards him, a look of pure determination on his face. Hal didn't see him coming.  
  
***  
  
Malcolm had spotted Richie, Circus and Justin immediately. After all, it was hardly like they were trying to be inconspicuous. As the whistle went for half-time he watched them leave their seats and disappear behind the stand into the refreshments area. Malcolm followed them, taking care that they didn't see him, approaching the refreshments area from the North as they had planned. He could see them standing in the middle of the grass talking in hushed whispers, obviously waiting for him and Francis to show themselves. Malcolm had the skunk bomb at the ready as he peered round the back of the stand, looking for Francis's signal to make a move. At last he spotted Francis at the South end of the area, staring like he was at the crowd of people, trying to locate their target. Their eyes met and Francis nodded to him - it was time to make their move.  
  
The next few seconds seemed to happen in slow motion. Francis and Malcolm stepped out of the cover and closed in towards their target. Before Richie, Circus or Justin had even seen them they both threw their skunk bombs. Their aim was true, and the bombs sailed trough the air right on target - they couldn't miss. That was when things began to go wrong. Craig, so focused on Hal that he didn't even see where he was going, walked straight into the three boys, and such was his size and the speed that he was walking he knocked them all to the ground. His concentration broken he instinctively turned and bent down to help them up. That was when the first bomb struck him right in the small of his back. As he whirled around to try and ascertain the source of this sudden attack the second bomb hit him square in the back of the head, exploding in a torrent of skunk spray which engulfed him like a toxic cloud. Though Craig took the brunt of the impact the force of the bombs was such that there had been significant residual fallout on Richie, Circus and Justin, who were still on the floor and looked just as bewildered as Craig. Immediately the smell was unbearable, overpowering to such an extent that the crowd simply surged away from them like a retreating tide. They looked round anxiously to try and determine the source of the attack but they saw no one - Malcolm and Francis were already long gone. As soon as Craig had collided with the three guys they had turned and fled, anticipating what was sure to happen. They wanted to be as far away as possible. They were concealed once again in their hiding place under the stand, and from there they watched with great amusement as events unfolded.  
  
Now that they had retreated to a safe distance people in the crowd were beginning to laugh, a cruel, mocking laugh which echoed around the enclosed area, giving it a surreal and spooky quality. Skunk sprays are hilarious things, provided they happen to someone else, and the sight of Craig and the three boys sprawled on the ground soaked in skunk spray was the ideal outlet for schadenfreude. Taking delight in other people's misfortunes is never pleasant, but some comfort can be taken from the fact that in this case it was richly deserved. So people laughed their asses off and all the while the four victims just lay there in shock, the true magnitude of what had just happened to them not yet sinking in. Eventually, and without a word to each other the four of them got slowly to their feet, turned, and ran as fast as they could away from the scene with only one thought in their minds - to wash like they had never washed before. In their hiding place Malcolm and Francis cheered and did a high five. Despite the unexpected appearance of Craig their plan had been a success, and Richie, Circus and Justin wouldn't bother them again. Hal bought his beer and returned to the stand, completely unaware of how close he had come to a confrontation with Craig, a confrontation which could easily have turned nasty. Love can make people do very stupid things, and Craig had been saved from making what could have been the biggest mistake of his life. Though they would never be thanked for it, Malcolm and Francis had done everyone involved a favour.  
  
***  
  
Though Reese had succeeded in firing up his team the second half proceeded very much like the first. Much end to end play and two touchdowns each later and the scores were tied at 27-27 going into the final minute of the 4th Quarter. As the seconds slipped away the Boars somehow managed to engineer a spectacular drive down the field, reaching the Warriors' 20-yard line with just 15 seconds to spare. This was the do or die moment. The teams lined up in preparation for the snap and the play that could decide the game.  
  
'This is just too tense, I can't watch,' said Hal weakly, covering his eyes. The tension was becoming unbearable.  
  
'Don't be such a baby Hal' replied Lois calmly. 'Honestly, what does in matter if they win or lose, the important thing is it's been a great game, and Reese kicked butt!'  
  
'Really Lois!' said Hal indignantly.  
  
Down on the field Reese was the epitome of concentration, coolness personified. He had played fantastically well in the second half, making numerous key tackles and holding the team together during those difficult defensive periods where they were camped in their own half. But now it all came down to one play, a few more seconds to keep them out.  
  
'THIS IS IT THEN FOLKS, THE CRUCIAL PLAY, 3RD AND 2 AT THE WARRIORS' 20- YARD LINE. HERE COMES THE SNAP, AND THE BALL IS IN THE HANDS OF THE BOARS' QUARTERBACK. HE LOOKS LEFT, HE LOOKS RIGHT, HE SEES A RECEIVER WIDE OPEN IN THE END-ZONE. HE THROWS...'  
  
But Reese had read the situation perfectly, anticipating where the ball was going before it was thrown. He dashed back into his own end-zone, following the ball in flight, tracking its arc through the sky. Then he leapt.  
  
'AND IT'S INTERCEPTED. THE PASS IS INTERCEPTED BY THE DEFENSIVE BACK, AND YES, IT'S NO. 27 REESE WILKERSON AGAIN!'  
  
Reese landed on his feet, the ball clutched tightly in his hands. He was stunned - he had actually caught the ball. 'Run!' came the urgent message from his brain. 'Run now! Run like the wind!' He ran.  
  
'AND THERE HE GOES TAKING OFF UPFIELD,' continued the announcer, by now almost at fever pitch. 'HE EVADEDS ONE TACKLE, HE SIDESTEPS ANOTHER. THE WARRIORS BLOCKING PROTECTS HIM THROUGH THE BOARS' DEFENSIVE LINE. GO ON SON, YOU CAN DO IT!' The crowd had all leapt to their feet by this time and were cheering Reese on as one.  
  
Reese was exhausted but still he kept on running as fast as his legs would carry him, his entire being focused on reaching the end-zone.  
  
'HE CROSSES THE HALFWAY LINE, NOW HE'S CLEAR OF THE BOARS' BACK LINE. HE PASSES THE 30... 20... 10... TOUCHDOWN! THE WARRIORS WIN THE GAME! THE WARRIORS WIN THE GAME!'  
  
The crowd exploded in a crescendo of whistling and cheering. Reese flung the ball to the ground and then, taking off his helmet he held his arms aloft in a gesture of triumph, saluting the fans. Seconds later his team- mates reached him and he was swamped by a sea of red shirts. It was the best feeling of his entire life - a mixture of pride, relief and joy all rolled into one.  
  
In the stands Lois and Hal were hugging and kissing each other, tears in both their eyes. They had never before been so proud of their son. The years of mischief and the countless moments of shame and anger he had put them through were instantly forgotten, eclipsed by Reese's new found spirit and will to achieve. From their hiding place under the seats even Malcolm and Francis had seen it, and they had jumped and cheered as loudly as anyone else. They left their place under the stand and joined the rest of the crowd in their celebrations, which continued unabated.  
  
'WELL THAT'S YOUR BALL GAME FOLKS, THE WARRIORS TAKE IT 34-27 OVER THE BOARS, AND I MUST SAY THAT IN MY 30 YEARS OF CALLING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL I'VE SELDOM SEEN A MORE EXCITING FINISH. GOOD NIGHT TO YOU ALL AND HAVE A SAFE JOURNEY HOME.'  
  
***  
  
It was about 30 minutes after the game. The crowd of people in the stadium had gradually thinned, and now only a handful of fans remained, mostly the families of the players congratulating them on their win. Reese had eventually managed to tear himself away from the attention of his team- mates and his growing crowd of admirers and took a moment to himself. He stood at one end of the field and went over the nights events in his mind, replaying every pass, every tackle, every touchdown. He took a deep breath, still incredibly wired and pumped full of adrenaline. He felt like he wouldn't sleep for weeks. By now it was beginning to get dark, so Reese didn't see Malcolm approaching. Malcolm had celebrated with everyone else after the game, congratulating Reese along with Lois Hal and Francis, but now he wanted to talk to him alone. There were some issues he still needed to help his brother work out.  
  
'Feels good, doesn't it,' he said. Reese looked up at him, slightly surprised but also pleased. He smiled.  
  
'Having everyone proud of you, being the centre of attention,' continued Malcolm in an emotionless voice, 'I bet it feels good.'  
  
'I guess' replied Reese cagily. There was something about Malcolm's manner that worried him slightly.  
  
'Or maybe it feels empty, like there's still something missing. A Pyrrhic victory almost, you've sold your soul for a few screaming fans and a game ball, and you've neglected what's really important, what can really make you happy, not this ridiculous facade.' Malcolm didn't expect Reese to have any idea what he was talking about, but that wouldn't stop him making his point.  
  
'You're just jealous' said Reese bitterly. 'Jealous that people admire me, and what do you have, a bunch of pathetic Krelboyne friends and a geeky haircut.'  
  
'Don't let your success cloud your feelings Reese. Follow your heart, not your head. Do you even remember why you joined the team in the first place? What you were hoping to achieve? Don't tell me you've forgotten about her already.' From the look on Reese's face Malcolm knew he had gotten through to him.  
  
'Delilah' said Reese eventually, hanging his head.  
  
'You can't keep shutting her out forever,' Malcolm continued. 'I spoke to her just now - she told me all about what happened the other day in school. But still she came to the game to see you, after what you did to her. And here you are standing on your own thinking about what a hero you are. Shame on you.'  
  
Reese hung his head even further. He felt ashamed to admit it but he had forgotten about Delilah. He had been so wrapped up in the preparation for the game and concentrating on his own stuff he hadn't thought about how he had left things with her. Now his feelings for her came flooding back, and he did feel empty, like a void had opened up inside him. Suddenly his heroics on the football field seemed insignificant - what was scoring a touchdown compared to being in love? The whole point of joining the football team had been to prove to her that he was no less of a man just because he'd been hit on by a gay guy. He deserved everything he got.  
  
'Look Reese, it's not too late to do something about it,' said Malcolm encouragingly. 'Maybe she's the one, maybe she isn't, just don't spend the rest of your life wondering. I told her you'd meet her under the stand, if you go now you should still be able to catch her before she loses patience and walks out of your life.'  
  
Reese looked at his brother. 'Malcolm I... how can I ever thank you enough?' He stepped over to him and hugged him. Malcolm looked slightly surprised, but also pleased. He smiled.  
  
'Go!' he said. 'I'll tell Mom and Dad you went for pizza with the team or something, just go now.' Reese let go and looked at Malcolm once more. He nodded at him and then turned towards the stand. It was time for him to meet his destiny.  
  
***  
  
Reese made his way apprehensively back towards the stand. He was straining desperately for something to say, but the only thing he could think of was to apologise and hope that she forgave him. Once again he was greatly in Malcolm's debt, and for the second time this week his brother's support and good advice had been both timely and effective. Though they had certainly had their differences in the past Reese and Malcolm were closer now than they had ever been before, and that felt good to Reese as well. It was nice to know that he had someone he could turn to for advice or even just a friendly chat.  
  
He entered the shadows under the seats and looked around. It was quite dark by now but he could still see the silhouette of Delilah standing at the far end, her profile visible against the starry night sky. She turned as he approached him, and her face looked tired and deflated. She didn't smile. 'Hello Reese,' she said flatly.  
  
Reese took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing,' he thought. 'Delilah, I know the way I've acted towards you recently was unacceptable, and I really don't deserve a second chance, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me,' he began. 'I'm sorry that I blew you off at the party, I'm sorry that I ran away from you when you tried to talk to me in school, and I'm sorry I didn't come and find you earlier to tell you this.' He took another deep breath. Delilah's face had softened, the hint of a smile creeping over her radiant features.  
  
'And what is it you want to tell me?' she asked.  
  
'Delilah I love you, I've always loved you ever since the second I first laid eyes on you. From that moment I knew I had to be close to you, to hold you tight and never let you go.'  
  
Tears began streaming silently down her face as he said these beautiful words. All her anger and disappointment disappeared, replaced by a new feeling she had never experienced before. 'Oh Reese!' she flung herself into his arms and sobbed into his shoulder, tears of joy flowing from her eyes in a cathartic release. Reese cried too as he held her tightly in his arms, their souls connected as their bodies entwined in a perfect golden moment. She moved her head off his shoulder and looked at him face to face, their eyes locked together. Then they kissed, a long passionate kiss which served as a further release for all their frustration and disappointment over the previous week. Eventually Reese broke off the kiss and looked into her eyes once more.  
  
'Delilah,' he said seriously, 'I just want you to know that whatever happens tomorrow, next week, or for the rest of my life, it doesn't matter - I'm happy now, because I love you.'  
  
'I love you too Reese.' She replied.  
  
***  
  
It was late by the time Reese got home. The house was dark and silent as he approached the front door, undoubtedly everyone was already in bed, probably all exhausted after the excitement of the evening. He let himself in and headed for the kitchen to get a drink before he went to bed.  
  
'You're home awfully late son' came the sound of Hal's voice from the living room. He had obviously fallen asleep on the sofa and been woken up by the sound of Reese coming in. He rubbed his eyes sleepily. 'Malcolm said you were going for pizza' he added.  
  
'That's right' Reese replied, pouring himself a glass of milk from the fridge. He turned and began to walk out of the kitchen, then he stopped, looking thoughtful. 'Dad, can I ask you something?'  
  
'Of course you can Reese, any time you like,' replied Hal, 'here why don't you come and sit down and tell me what's on your mind.'  
  
Reese walked slowly into the living room and sat down beside Hal. The room looked eerie in the semi-darkness, the shadows forming crude shapes on the walls.  
  
Reese thought for a moment. 'When you were younger,' he began, 'when you first met Mom, did you know right then that this was the person for you, that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her, or did it happen over time.'  
  
Hal considered the question for a moment. 'No I fell in love with your mother the first time I saw her. From that moment I knew that I wanted to be with her more than anyone else in the whole world.' He said. 'Of course it took time to convince her of that,' he added, chuckling slightly. Reese didn't laugh.  
  
'Love's a strange thing, a rebellious bird which cannot be caged, as the song goes. No one can explain it, but when it happens to you, you'll know.' Hal looked at Reese as he said this, trying to read his mind and determine the reason for his questioning.  
  
'A weird thing happened to me last week,' said Reese slowly, seemingly unsure about whether he wanted to share this or not. 'At that party I went to there was this guy, and he kind of hit on me. He said he thought I was gay as well.' Reese looked a little embarrassed as he said this.  
  
Hal thought about this for a moment. 'Don't let it bother you,' he said eventually. 'You can't control or choose your sexuality, so don't even try. I can tell you've been thinking a lot about this. I'm sure it's no coincidence you chose this week to join the football team.' From the look on Reese's face Hal knew he had hit the jackpot.  
  
'So your saying I should just bury it the past,' Reese said.  
  
'No not at all. The past has an unfortunate habit of suddenly resurfacing and biting us on the ass when we least expect it - we may be through with the past, but much of the time the past isn't through with us. If this has raised issues for you then you need to address them, sort it out and then move on. That's really the best advice I can give you.' Hal was relishing the chance to open up to Reese, since Reese so seldom opened up to him. A good father-son talk would do them both good.  
  
'Thanks Dad, I appreciate it' said Reese sincerely.  
  
'Don't let the important things in life slip through your fingers because of some stupid misunderstanding,' said Hal, reading the situation perfectly.  
  
Reese thought he knew what Hal meant.  
  
THE END 


End file.
